Boulder County this morning began aerial re-seeding and mulching operations over 350 acres of land scorched in the Fourmile Fire in September 2010.

Helicopter flights began this morning and will continue during daylight hours as weather permits for the next two weeks, though no flights will be done in high winds.

Last year, nearly 2,000 acres were treated with aerial mulching as part of Boulder County's emergency stabilization efforts. Most areas are recovering, county officials said, but the land in and around Ingram Gulch between Salina and Sunshine and other small areas between Melvina Hill and Hoosier Hill and near Fourmile Canyon Creek all need retreatment.

This particular re-seeding and mulching operation is targeting steeper areas that were severely burned in the fire and present the greatest risk of erosion

"We would like to see less erosion in these areas during heavy thunderstorms," said Claire DeLeo, senior plant ecologist at Boulder County's Parks and Open Space department and the team leader of the project. "We can't do much about the water, but we want to avoid seeing the big debris runoffs."

The county decided to add seed to this years drops in order to try and help the areas recover faster. The seed is a mixture of slender wheat and triticale grasses.

"These areas were just not recovering, so we said, 'Let's put some seed down and see what happens,'" DeLeo said. "Studies show seeding works best in the second year, but we thought it would be worthwhile to invest in it."

Gerry Sanfacon, the Fourmile Fire Recovery Manager, said similar drops would probably happen yearly until the area sees significant recovery.

"It really just depends on how quickly the areas recover," he said. "It could take three years, it could take as long as 10. They are still working on the Hayman Fire, which was 10 years ago. We'll just play it by ear every year."

Due to safety concerns, no one can be in the immediate area where mulch is being dropped, and Boulder County sheriff's deputies will be in the area to enforce safety rules, the county said.

Boulder County officials want to remind the public of the following rules:

Motorists must not block traffic on any public right away.

Members of the public must stay at least 200 feet outside the perimeter of active aerial mulching treatment areas.

No trespassing is allowed on private property, including driveways, turn-offs and private roads.